N.E.R.D.S: Where the odds get even
December 8th | 6.30 PM | BOXERS NY
RETROFACTORY transformed BOXERS NYC into a dazzling homage to the world of the nerds, geeks, dorks and other outsiders who have inspired us to take pride in our own dazzling queer lives.
The event benefited The National LGBTQ Task Force, one of the oldest organizations that has been fighting for queer civil rights since the 1970s.
Our guests danced the night away with tunes from the era and surprise immersive dance numbers, enjoyed fabulous performances from our coterie of artists, including Glow Job, Sol, and many more, and heard about the TASK FORCE’s work to further our social goals, with an opportunity to donate at the event
JUNE 9 | 6.30 PM | ICON ASTORIA
We created a fantasia honoring the Free Love Movement of the late 1960s – Queer Style. This is the hippie movement we wish we had had. THE NATIONAL LGBTQ+ TASK FORCE and RETRO FACTORY teamed up and transformed ICON Astoria into a psychedelic space celebrating the Woodstock era, raising funds for an organization that has been at the forefront of Queer Civil Rights since it was founded almost 50 years ago.
Even though the LGBTQ+ community was on the outside of the Free Love Movement, its spirit was definitely embedded in it. Imagine what the Flower Power Movement would have been with the power and spunk the Queer community at the Helm. That is what RETRO FACTORY’s FREE LOVE was all about.
All we need is LOVE and everyone found it at this dance party ! Guests dressed up in their best retro attire for the FREE LOVE movement from the 60’s and 70's, danced with friends, admired the pop-up performances, interacted with Queer icons from the past, enjoyed a cocktail, and heard about the incredible work of the Task Force.
Drag Performance by SOL + Hosts God Complex and Matthew Conrado + MC Glow Job + A night full of surprises!
a fashion show
dance extravaganza
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2021
RETRO FACTORY came to HOUSE OF YES and hosted a catwalk-infused fundraiser for the NATIONAL LGBTQ+ TASK FORCE, which has been at the forefront of fighting for our rights for almost 50 years.
Our guests dressed up in their fast-fashion-finest for the red carpet, and had an intimate experience with iconic fashion characters, met our displayed fashion designers and models, enjoyed a specially curated cocktail, and heard about the incredible work of the Task Force.
The rest of the night was flawless - we opened the doors to the main dance room, where eveybody danced the night away and enjoyed the work of our magnificent fashion designers in spectacular runway moments.
Fashion designers included GLITTER MACABRE, GABBY VÁZQUEZ, GALLEXII, and GLOW JOB in surprise flash-mob runway explosions, curated by the impeccable fashionista DISSSGRACE.
Dance experiences were choreographed by the illustrious OMAR NIEVES DELGADO; and the space was designed by the talents of RODRIGO MARTÍNEZ.
It was a night of gogo dancers, iconic fashion characters, queer performers, huge surprises, fashion, fashion... and more fashion. ALL NIGHT LONG.
Move it!
AN HOMAGE TO THE SPIRIT OF BLACK MUSIC AND DANCE
FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2020
8 - 10pm EST
VIRTUAL DANCE PARTY ON ZOOM
Black Music is American Music. We cannot imagine one without the other. This Summer we celebrated the influence of Black rhythms, movement, and spirit on all of us with MOVE IT! An Homage to the Spirit of Black Music and Dance. MOVE IT! was produced by SIREN PACK and RETRO FACTORY, theatreC’s LGBTQ+ immersive Party Series.
Get your laptop, iPad or smartphone ready, deck yourselves out, grab your favorite cocktail, bring together your Quarantine Crew, set up your dance space and boogie the night away! We showcased our astounding artists and history of music and were transported from the Harlem Renaissance to the Era of Soul and Motown to today in an interactive Zoom Party. Bright Light Bright Light spun some great tunes of the time, interjected with impromptu performances from dancers from The Lion King led by Alia Kache (Former Rehearsal Director at Alvin Ailey), and our principle hosts, the illustrious Shay Au Lait and the fantabulous Glow Job.
Partygoers had surprise break-out room experiences guided by our host partners, which included some of New York’s Queer Voices/Influencers, Beleza Negra, MadDa, and Egyptian Trans Artist & Performer, Iman Le Caire. “We always strive to uplift our QPOC artist community and we are so proud to spotlight the Black talent within Siren Pack and Retro Factory again,” says Glow Job, our co-producer. “I’ve been so impressed by Retro Factory’s events and couldn’t be happier to partner with them,” says Shay Au Lait of Siren Pack. “As companies that proudly champion the art of marginalized communities, we couldn’t be more aligned in such a cool project,” says theatreC Artistic Director, Carlos Armesto.
“MOVE IT!” took place Friday, August 21 from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM. Free admission, but a minimum donation of $10 was suggested, all of which went towards supporting our QPOC performers, as well as, to G.L.I.T.S., a grass-roots support organization devoted to the BIPOC trans community. (glitsinc.org).
VOULEZ-VOUS? ENCORE
AN HOMAGE TO THE INDULGENT, DECADENT AND LEGENDARY MOULIN ROUGE!
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 @ 3 Dollar bill
After the success of Retro Factory's latest #ThrowbackThursday queer dance party on December 5th, LeFreak, we throw it back to another time and place this Valentine's Day, Friday, February 14 at 3 Dollar Bill. Come deliciously decked out in Belle Epoque-inspired fashions and dance the night away as you are transported to the look and feel of the famous and sensuous MOULIN ROUGE, as reimagined by our designers Rodrigo Martinez (Oklahoma!), Attilio Rigotti and Andrew Diamond.
RETRO FACTORY brings back VOULEZ-VOUS? ENCORE!, an LGBTQ+ immersive Party Series produced by Theatre C, in partnership with Queer Queens. Experience flashmob-style recreations of dance numbers from arguably one of the sexiest eras, choreographed by Carlos Falu (Steven Spielberg's West Side Story). Dance to music spanning the eras spun by NYC's Premier Trans Fag DJ JClef, and Queer DJ Bright Light Bright Light from Club Cumming. Partygoers can partake in intimate one-on-one experiences guided by a band of iconic denizens of the Moulin Rouge, led by inspired director Charles Quittner.
In partnership with Queer Queens. Hosts for this party will include some of New York's Queer Voices/Influencers Glow Job, Disgrace, Domenic Mykel, Thee Suburbia, SOL, Chad Ryan, Jamie Lowenstein, Cara Francis, and Egyptian Trans Artist & Performer, Iman Le Caire. With performances from AMAR, Bassam Kubba, and our Go-Go dancers Beleza Negra, MadDa, Medea, Sammy Kim, and Glen North.
LE FREAK :
A queer throwback to a Night at Studio 54
“Studio 54 is a place of complete abandon, where we all could realize our wildest fantasies. We can’t wait to create that environment at 3 Dollar Bill.” Carlos Armesto
Throw it back to another time and place at 3 Dollar Bill on Thursday, December 5 and escape to the land of disco balls, glitter, and free-wheeling abandon - a night at Studio 54. Get your bell bottoms, gold lamé, and see-through everything on as you enter our venue that will be reinvented to look and feel like the famous and sensuous STUDIO 54, as reimagined by our designers Rodrigo Martinez (Oklahoma!), Attilio Rigotti and Andrew Diamond. Experience flashmob-style recreations of dance numbers from the jaw-dropping era choreographed by Omar Nieves Delgado (The Guthrie’s West Side Story). Hear music spanning the eras spun by Queer DJ Bright Light Bright Light from Club Cumming. Partygoers can partake in intimate one-on-one experiences guided by the band of iconic Studio 54 patrons, led by opera director Charles Quittner. Hosts for this party will include some of New York’s Queer Voices/Influencers Glow Job, Disgrace, Shay Au Lait, Domenic Mykel, Thee Suburbia, Glen North, and Egyptian Trans Artist & Performer, Iman Le Caire.
Check out the article on Sidewalkkilla featuring Le Freak and Retro Factory.
Photos by @Sidewalkkilla
voulez-vous?
AN HOMAGE TO THE INDULGENT, DECADENT AND LEGENDARY MOULIN ROUGE!
PRESENTED BY THEATRE C IN ASSOCATION WITH LIC-A, DANIEL NARDICIO PRODUCTIONS, AND QUEER QUEENS
“The Moulin Rouge was a safe haven for fun and abandon, where people of all walks of life could come to revel, dance and express their truest self.” - Carlos Armesto
On April 5th 2019, 300 people descended on Plaxall Gallery in Long Island City, deliciously decked out in Belle Epoque-inspired fashions, and danced the night away. In the recreated Moulin Rouge, brought to life by designers Frank Oliva(Oklahoma!) and Andrew Garvis, the partygoers were greeted by an opulent champagne sculpture and partook in intimate one-on-one experiences guided by the band of mischievous minions led by opera director Raymond Zilberberg (Tosca at Loft Opera). The guests on the dance floor experienced flashmob-style recreations of dance numbers from the famed film by Baz Luhrman, choreographed by Breton Tyner-Bryan (Alvin Ailey), Omar Nieves Delgado (The Guthrie’s West Side Story), Elisabetta Spuria, and Ayesha Khanna and Bollywood Funk NYC. Hosts for the event included some of New York’s Queer Voices/Influencers Garrett Swann, TheGayGaston, Disgrace, Glow Job and ChaddyBoyChad, alongside the main provocateuse; the illustrious and talented Drag Star: Sucia
REVISIT: 1983
@ Bedlam
A RETURN TO TO THE LEGENDARY GAY DANCE PARTY AT THE PYRAMID CLUB
Relive the magic of our inaugural Retro Factory pride party and REVISIT: 1983
In November of 2018, we set out with a goal to bring back elements from an era of the past, to relive moments from a specific time and place, but to also change it to reflect our story- a story that isn’t told or seen. This concept was brought to life with live music videos with a queer twist and with conscious effort to extend a welcoming hand to the underrepresented within the LGBTQ spectrum. Free to be and free to express- with an 80’s twist, our pride event was a success. Guests danced to the beats of DJ David Scott and were enveloped by pop-up dance performances by choreographer Breton Tyner-Bryan. The event was hosted by ChaddyBoyChad. Erika Astarita, Roger Calderon and Glow Job.
1983:
Pride 2017
AN HOMAGE TO THE LEGENDARY GAY DANCE PARTY HELD AT THE PYRAMID CLUB IN THE EAST VILLAGE
In this 80's party, reimagined from a gay perspective, partygoers relived the grit and sex appeal of the east village.
Our first event set out to create something missing in New York City nightlife: A space for queer people of every demographic that could be celebrated and who could witness their story reinterpreted through dance and a party with a throw back twist. 1983 was a huge success and turned into quite the amazing and inspiring night!! We got to participate in and celebrate queer art made by queer artists. It was something we at Retro Factory are immensely proud of and will strive to continue to produce.
